SAUDIS get their 1ST TYPHOON

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has taken delivery of the first two Eurofighter Typhoons out of a massive order for 72 of the British planes that first fell into doubt over an arms scandal, state news agency SPA said on Friday.

Assistant Defence and Aviation Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan received the two Typhoons at a ceremony with British officials at the facilities of BAE Systems, the aircraft’s manufacturer, in Wharton, England on Thursday, it said. The two fighters were the first out of an order for an eventual 72 that has been valued at up to 20 billion pounds (32.9 billion dollars), including armaments and long-term servicing. Saudi Arabia is the first country outside Europe to have the Typhoon, a multi-role aircraft produced by a BAE Systems-led consortium of European firms. The deal was first announced in August 2006, but then fell into doubt due to a British investigation into massive corruption allegations in earlier arms deals between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems that implicated senior officials of both countries.

The investigation into the so-called Yamamah deals was called off by the British government in December 2006 on grounds of “national security” and “public interest,” and the final contract for the Typhoon aircraft was signed in September 2007. The purchase will help the Saudis upgrade their airforce from its current fleet of BAE’s 1980s-vintage Tornado F3s and US-made Boeing F-15s. Under the original deal, BAE is to deliver 24 Typhoons completely built to the Saudis, and another 48 are to be assembled inside Saudi Arabia as the country seeks to build up its own aeronautic industry capabilities.

Prince Khaled, who is also commander of the Saudi air force, said the new aircraft “are not to threaten anyone but to protect and secure the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the coming decades,” SPA reported. afp

LOL why do the Saudis need the Typhoons anyway besides for show?
They've got the world dancing at their feet anyway nobody wants to attack them anyhow.
I wonder if Prince Khaled has ever picked up a gun.

LOL why do the Saudis need the Typhoons anyway besides for show?
They've got the world dancing at their feet anyway nobody wants to attack them anyhow.
I wonder if Prince Khaled has ever picked up a gun.

Click to expand...

excess of money,can be the only answer.........no place to store em anymore

LOL why do the Saudis need the Typhoons anyway besides for show?
They've got the world dancing at their feet anyway nobody wants to attack them anyhow.
I wonder if Prince Khaled has ever picked up a gun.

Click to expand...

Saudis are rapidly expanding their armed forces, some of the main threats to them are Iran, Yemeni tribesmen, internal dissent by extremists.

Al Yamamah (Arabic: اليمامة The Dove‎) is the name of a series of a record arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day to the UK government

Eurofighter Typhoon (al-Salam)
In December 2005 the governments of the UK and Saudi Arabia signed an "Understanding Document" which involved the sale of Typhoon aircraft to replace RSAF Tornados and other aircraft. Although no details were released, reports suggested the deal involved the supply of 72 aircraft. On 18 August 2006 a contract was signed for 72 aircraft. The aircraft cost approximately £4.43 billion, and the full weapons system is expected to cost approximately £10 billion. [17] The fact that the deal mirrors the conditions of the previous Al Yamamah contracts suggests that it is in effect Al Yamamah III

Al Yamamah (Arabic: اليمامة The Dove‎) is the name of a series of a record arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day to the UK government

LOL why do the Saudis need the Typhoons anyway besides for show?
They've got the world dancing at their feet anyway nobody wants to attack them anyhow.
I wonder if Prince Khaled has ever picked up a gun.

I don't understand why some members are asking what is the need to SA to invest so much in Typhoon. They do have threats coming from Iran and off course Israel though they both are western allies.
Besides who does not want a powerful armed forces and influence the region or the world?
Doesn't India aspire to take the global table?

I'm sorry I simply fail to comprehend why a country in a relatively safe position in my opinion would invest in such Weapons especially when SA has more than enough military power to deter even Iran.Their current numbers of F-15 and Tornadoes are enough to make short work of Iran as well as their army armed with the latest in western weapons.Israel would only attack on provocation,Unless the Typhoons were meant to attack Israel i fail to see it's use.
They've already use their influence generated by their oil to ally themselves with US and other western powers none which would tolerate any kind of attack on SA.Even the Iranians are not that crazy.
Buying fancy jets does not make you a world power,They've succeed in providing health care,education,high per capita income all hallmarks of a developed country .
I agree on countries becoming self-sufficient in their defense and SA certainly has the money for it.
I don't understand what use they're going to be.Will they bomb Israel?Yemeni tribesmen?Extremists?
Those seem like jobs for the National Guard.

1.44, it's not only threat perception that influences arms purchase but larger ambitions to dominate the region. Besides Israel, there is Turkey which is buying latest weapons left right and center. It's buying a lot of Russian weapons though it's an ally of the west.
What's the need for Turkey?